Granada is the oldest colonial town of Nicaragua. Founded in the first quarter of the 16th century, has what possibly is the nicest old town of all of Central America. Granada is limited on the south by the smoking volcano Mombacho and on the east by the great lake of Nicaragua, also known as Cocibolca.
This is how our fellow WWT, Aušrys Matonis, described the city of Granada in Nicaragua to us through facebook. He offered to share his pictures of the city to the community, and we will try to add a little text to accompany them to try enhance the experience.
Granada was founded in 1524, less than half a century after the Granada War that ended the Islamic rule on the Iberian Peninsula in what’s known as the Spanish Reconquista. Francisco Hernández de Córdoba, also founder of the country of Nicaragua, decided just a year after his arrival to the continent to found the first city of the country next to the Cocibolca lake.
Just a year after being founded the first Cathedral of Granada was built. In the next picture you can see the cathedral as it is today, in its neoclassical style, after being finished just in 1972.
Another popular building of granada in neoclassical style is the 1913 Palacio Episcopal, residence of the bishop of Granada.
Other buildings of interest in Granada include the church of La Merced, church of San Francisco and the church of Guadalupe, just three more of the six main churches of the city.
In most travel websites they say Granada is both the most touristically developed city and the one with the biggest expat community of the country. This doesn’t mean that it’s appeal has been washed down, according to Aušrys.
The great lake of Nicaragua may seem at times a sea from Granada, and it’s quite truly so, since the river San Juan connects this lake with the ocean.
Now that you know a bit about the heritage and architecture of Granada, the oldest city of Nicaragua, you will probably be able to enjoy even more the following pictures depicting part of the daily life in this grandiose town.
Aušrys Matonis, or as his friends know him, Ausriukas, is an intrepid traveller that has been exploring the globe practically non stop sharing his friendly approach to travelling and living.